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12 Facts About Pascal Rigo

1.

Pascal Rigo was born in N'Djamena, formally known as Fort-Lamy.

2.

At the age of 7, after running a daily errand to buy two baguettes for his family, Rigo apprenticed at his village's bakery.

3.

Pascal Rigo later earned a business degree from the University of Bordeaux and became a certified professional baker.

4.

Pascal Rigo first moved to California to begin importing local wine from France.

5.

Pascal Rigo stayed in the US to open a bakery in Los Angeles and later moved to San Francisco.

6.

In 1996, Pascal Rigo founded Panissimo Group, which ran the bakery on Pine Street that later became Bay Bread.

7.

Pascal Rigo chose to live and have an office at the central location in a former French laundry on the busy thoroughfare.

8.

Pascal Rigo bought and continues to operate San Francisco's oldest flour mill, which Bay Bread uses to produce organic flour for its loaves.

9.

Pascal Rigo originally intended to operate his business as a wholesale bakery, but soon began selling loaves and then croissants directly to the public.

10.

Pascal Rigo renamed it the "Boulangerie" after painting the word on the colorful awning over the sidewalk, and then opened similarly themed dine-in bakeries throughout the city.

11.

Pascal Rigo has intentionally avoided publicity to avoid encouraging a backlash from critics.

12.

On June 4,2012, Pascal Rigo sold La Boulange Bakery to Starbucks for $100 million.